Lightning kills 10 in Bengal; heatwave continues in North

 At least 10 people were killed and several others injured in incidents of lightning strike in West Bengal with heavy monsoon rains triggering floods in Mizoram, even as heat wave conditions prevailed in north India.

The Meteorological (MeT) department has forecast light to moderate rains in some parts of northern India.

In West Bengal, four persons were killed in lightning strikes in Bankura district, three in Hooghly district, while one death each was reported from West Midnapore, Birbhum and North 24 Parganas districts, officials said.

Heavy monsoon rains triggered flood in Lunglei and Aizawl district of Mizoram. Over 1,000 people were evacuated to safer places in the two districts due to the flood. State School Education department declared holidays for today and tomorrow for all schools due to heavy downpour, officials said.

Scattered rains occurred at isolated places in the mid and higher hills of Himachal Pradesh. The MeT has forecast rains or thundershowers at isolated places in the mid hills over the next six days, rains or thundershowers in the lower hills and rains or snow in the higher hills from June 15.

Heatwave conditions continued unabated in most parts of Punjab and Haryana, with Amritsar and Patiala sizzling at 42.8 degrees Celsius, making these as the hottest places in the region. The MeT has forecast light to moderate rains at isolated places in the region after two days.

In the national capital, hot and humid conditions continued to prevail with the mercury settling at 41.7 degrees Celsius, even as the weatherman forecast dusty winds towards the night.

HHeatwaveconditions have abated in parts of Rajasthan where pre-monsoon showers brought down day temperatures by a few degrees.

The highest temperature was recorded at 43.8 degrees Celsius in Jaisalmer followed by Sriganganagar, which registered a maximum of 43 degrees Celsius.

The weather is likely to remain dry in Uttar Pradesh, with Kanpur registering as the hottest place in the state at 44.8 degrees Celsius. The MeT forecast rains or thunderstorm are very likely at isolated places over the eastern parts of UP on June 14.

In Jammu, the weatherman has forecast dry weather for the next three days, indicating rise in the temperatures across the region. The city recorded a high of 39.6 degrees Celsius.

Squally winds very likely along and off Goa­, Karnataka, ­Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal coasts. Sea condition is likely to remain rough to very rough over these areas. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said.